


Worn Ivory (Like My Heart)

by KDdoodle



Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: Arthur plays piano and y’all are sleeping on that, Character Study, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Multi, unbeta’d bc its 1am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:14:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27754429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KDdoodle/pseuds/KDdoodle
Summary: There had been a bare wall before Vivi moved into the apartment.orThere is a startling lack of fics about music in a fandom literally centered around Music Videos.I aim to remedy that.
Relationships: Arthur & Lewis & Mystery & Vivi (Mystery Skulls Animated), Arthur & Lewis (Mystery Skulls Animated), Arthur & Mystery (Mystery Skulls Animated), Arthur & Vivi (Mystery Skulls Animated), lewvithur if you squint
Comments: 2
Kudos: 47





	Worn Ivory (Like My Heart)

There had been a bare wall before Vivi moved into the apartment. One Arthur had hated, but he thought he preferred it to the piece of furniture she’d filled it with.

  
Her mother’s old upright piano.

  
Arthur hadn’t had a problem with Vivi decorating, but a piano was just in poor taste. The last time he’d played was before he lost his arm, even if the dexterity exercise would’ve been good for his prosthetic.

So why was it that he found himself looking at it out of the corner of his eye all the time?

It was in such an obvious place too, so he couldn’t even avoid passing it. He’d linger for a second every time he did.

Knowing Vivi, her intent was probably to silently encourage him to play again.

Which was why now as he hovered in front of it, Vivi has gone for work, he genuinely contemplated giving it a try. But, what if he sucked? What if he’d forgotten everything, and it sounded awful? What if the piano was out of tune?

Sitting on the bench was oddly nostalgic, it reminded him of having met Mrs. Yukino for the first time, his desire to impress Vivi’s parents—and Vivi. Delicately he lifted the once shiny brown fallboard, and glanced at the slightly worn ivories, the familiar keys bringing a smile to his face.

Resting his hands on the keyboard, he gently pressed the thumb of his prosthetic hand downward, and the ringing of a perfectly tuned D2 sounded beautifully through the little apartment.

He was shocked for a moment—he knew the piano hadn’t been tuned when it arrived at his little apartment, had Vivi called someone in while he was working? She’d really gone all out.

He readjusted and pressed on, a familiar melody springing to life about him, filling the small room with sound. As he played and played, song after song Arthur was filled with an old, familiar emotion. The joy of it washed over him in waves, and before he knew it tears poured down his cheeks and the music faltered as his vision blurred.

He pulled his hands away.

As his hands rest in his lap, he looked at them, really looked, old callouses covered by new ones. The memory of blisters from playing for hours, the way he used to have to clip his nails instead of biting them.

“Why’d you stop?” came a voice, warm and strange. Lewis.

“W-what?” Arthur jumped, voice thick with emotion, “How long have you been listening?”

“Since you started,” the specter smiled, setting foot on the ground. “You’ve always been so good. I’d wondered why you never pulled out your synth, but I didn’t want to pry,”

“Well, uh,” Arthur choked, “Any requests?”

“Oh me! I have one!” Yelled the ever-energetic blunette, causing Arthur to start in his seat yet again.

“When did you get home?”

“Fifteen or so minutes ago?” she replied.

“You were so focused, neither of us wanted to disturb you,” echoed Lewis.

They sat like that for a few moments, just chatting, cracking jokes, laughing. Eventually, Arthur relaxed, his hands itching for the keys again. This time Lewis was the one to pick a melody, as he began to hum, floating into a lounging position. Vivi scrambled quickly to her room so she could pull her guitar out of its case.

Arthur had missed this, music had been such an important escape for the three of them. It had helped them bond, give them hope, and in the long run, taught them so much. How they had functioned thus far without it was a mystery to him.

—

In the armchair across the room, mystery watched.

He watched, tail wagging, as they sang late into the night.

He watched as they cried together, mirth etched into their faces.

He watched as, after an achingly quiet and lonely year, his pups were together again.

And they were _singing_.

**Author's Note:**

> Is this short? Perhaps. Did I cry writing it? Also perhaps.
> 
> God Damn, I love these kids.
> 
> here's the song Arthur plays, [a personal favorite.](https://open.spotify.com/track/2u0KeGJCy3HETeTO3SLl0O?si=ZPNBSk8ETQ67EuyQFqqZUw)


End file.
